Power-wheel



(No Model.)

A. BIENKOWSKI.

POWER WHEEL.

No. 519,226. l15a/saluted May 1, 1894.

`lowing to be a full, clear,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

`APOLINARY BIENKOVSKI, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

POWER-WH EEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 519,226, dated May 1, 1894. Application filed october 23,1893. satana. 488,949. (Nomade.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, APOLINARY BIENKOW- SKI, a citizen of the United States, residing in" thecity and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an improvement in Power-Wheels; and I hereby declare the foland exact descrip` tion of the same.

My invention'relates to a device which I` call a power wheel.

I t consists in certain details of construction which will be more fully explained by referencetotheaccompanyingdrawings,inwhich .Flgure l is a side elevation of my wheel. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on line x-az of Figgl. i

The object of my invention is to provide a wheel having vanes or fans which are adapted to turn or feather at certain pointsin the revo- 1nt1on of the shaft, so that at one portion of the revolution, the vanes are presented with their faces in the direction of revolution, and at another part with their edges in this direction. This device is applicable either to be used as a wind or water wheel to which the power is applied to revolve it, or it may be used as a fan to produce a blast by applying power to it. f

A is a shaft suitably journaled so as to revolve freely. That portion of the shaft from which the fans radiate is shown in the present case as made rectangular, and in each of the rectangular faces is a socket or pin C projecting radially and serving as the journal or spindle about which the vanes turn. It will be manifest, however, that as many vanes may be used, as can be applied to the shaft.

D is the base or hub of each vane, made with two rectangular sides meeting "at right angles, and the third curved in the radius of a segment of a circle, as shown at d. Stop pins a are fixed to the shaft and project outward to prevent the vanes from turning too much in either direction when they are turned upon their axes as hereinafter described.

The vanes E may be of any suitable or desired shape and are iXed to the hub D, so

that they stand at right angles with one of.

the straight sides of the hub.

F F are two segmentalshells, suitably sup` ported from xed standards upon opposite sides of the shafts A. The segments partially surround the shaft, one of them fitting around the shaft at one side to the left of the central square portion, and the other encircling the opposite side to the right of this portion. The ends of these two segments approach so nearly that the hub D impinges alternately against them as it arrives opposite them. The ends of these segments are slightly beveled, and these ends form a frictional contact with the sides of the hub D as it passes. v

The operation will then be as follows:-

-rThere being, as represented in the present case, four vanes upon the shaft, two of these vanes will stand transversely to the axis, and the other two will stand in a plane passing through the longitudinal axis and at right angles with the other two. lf these vanes are to be acted upon to rotate the shaft, it will be manifest that the current of air or water in which the wheel is submerged so that the curaxis, will act upon those vanes which are parallel with the shaft, while those that standtransversely will present the edges, and will not be acted upon. `The rotation of the shaft `brings the meeting angles of the curved and straight sides of the hubs D alternately in contact with the ends of the segments, previously described, and the frictional contact with these segments rotates the hub D a quariat sides impinges against the end of the segment, when the vane will be held in that position untilit has passed this segment. The stop pin a against which the vane hub strikes prevents it turning too far. A continued rotation of the shaft brings the rounded angle of the hub D against the end of the opposite segment and rotates it a quarter of a turn in the opposite direction, until the other straight side of the hub slides against the end of the segment, and the vane will be presented at right angles with its former position. These two straight sides serve alternately to hold the hub and the Vane in its position while it is passing the ends of the segments against which it impinges, and as soon as it has passed one segment, the rounded angle engages the 'corner of the opposite segment, and rotates the hub and vane a quarter turn, so as to rent moves at right angles with the shaft or f `ter revolution upon its axis until one of the IOS place it at right' angles with its former position. By this device,the vanes are alter` present their flat sides and their edges, they are in position to receive the full effect of any current in which the wheel may bel placed, which will thus act continually to rotate the wheel in one direction. Power may be transmitted from the shaft by belts or other suitable connecting devices.

If the apparatus is to be used as a fan, or to force air, it will operate in the same manner, power being transmitted to the shaft from some other source of supply.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An apparatus consisting of the rotating shaft having radial vanes projecting therefrom and journal-pins upon which they are allowed to turn about their axes, independent stationary segments supported upon opposite sides of the shaft, and partially inclos- `ing the same, the ends of said segments approaching each other toward a central point so as to impinge upon the hubs of the vanes and rotate the latter by frictional contact, substantially as herein described.

2. An apparatus consistingof a shaft adapted to rotate upon its axis, vanes projecting radially from said shaft having hubs turning loosely upon radial journal-pins, said hubs having two straight sides at right angles with each other, and a quadrant curve of a circle uniting these sides, in combination with fixed segments partially inclosing the shaft upon the opposite sides, the ends of said segments being beveled and approaching eachother so that the hubs of the vanes come in contact with the angles of the segments as they pass and are rotated a quarter revolution until 4l the straight sides of the hubs lie in contact with the ends of the segments which serve as guides to retain the vanes in position until they have passed beyond the segment and made contact with the opposite one, substanj tially as herein described.

3. An apparatus consisting of a shaft rotatable upon its axis, vanes projecting radially from the shaft and turning loosely about axes radial to the shaft, hubs having 5l two straight sides diverging from each other at right angles, a quadrant curve connecting their opposite ends, iixed segments partially surrounding the shaft upon opposite sides, with the inner ends approaching so as to form contacts alternately with opposite sides of the vane hubs as they pass, whereby the hubs and vanes are rotated about their axes, and stop pins projecting from the hub, whereby the rotation of the hubs in either direction is limited, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

APOLlNARY BIENKOWSKI. Witnesses:

HYMAN GOLDBERG, S. I-I. NoURsn. 

